Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup- a lightened-up meatless take on the classic chicken and wild rice soup. You won’t miss the meat or the cream in this satisfying vegan version!

I’m so excited to share this soup with you guys!

I know I’ve said that many times before so it might seem forced but I promise you it’s not. I just get pumped when I make a vegan version of something and it turns out even better than the original.

It makes me wish I could serve everyone a bowl to help them realize that they don’t need all of that heavy cream to make something taste good. This recipe is proof that there are plenty of plant-based substitutes that are just as delicious, if not better.

I’m sure those of you are that are seasoned plant-based cooks can probably guess what gives this soup it’s lovely creamy texture…cashews!

They’re my favorite substitute for cream-based sauces but to be honest sometimes they can be kind of pain to cook with. For one, you have to remember to soak them ahead of time and for two, you have to own a high speed blender that can break them down into a cream.

There’s a way around the first problem which is soaking them in boiling hot water for just 30 minutes. That’s all it takes to get them soft enough to blend.

The second problem is a little harder to solve (I wish I could gift a Vitamix to all of you!) but you could probably get away with leaving out the cashews in this recipe if you had to. The almond milk and the arrowroot starch should provide enough of a creamy texture. The cashews just make it extra luxurious. Totally worth the investment of a high speed blender if you ask me.

Please let me know if you give it a try! It’s one my favorite soups and I hope you love it as much as I do.

Directions:

In a small pot, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the cashews to a medium size bowl with the boiling water and allow to sit for 30 minutes.

In the same small pot, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the wild rice then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and allow to sit for 15 minutes. While you’re waiting for the cashews to soak and the rice to cook, you can start prepping your vegetables.

In a large pot, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, salt and pepper then cook for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the mushrooms, carrot, garlic and celery then stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes then add the tamari, thyme, and parsley. Stir again while continuing to cook for about 5 minutes.

Once the cashews are done soaking, strain off the excess water and place them in a high speed blender. Add the almond milk, nutritional yeast, and arrowroot powder then blend on high for 30 seconds, until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the pot along with the vegetable broth and stir. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Then turn the heat off, add the cooked rice to the pot, stir together and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. As it cools the soup will begin to thicken. If after 20 minutes it still appears to thin, just allow it to sit for longer. Serve warm with fresh parsley (optional) and enjoy!

Such beautiful pictures! You and your camera always seem to capture the essence of what you’re trying to achieve, with mouthwatering results. :)

That means so much to me, Jerilyn. Thank you! :)

You’re the vegan master! I don’t like heavy cream based soups because they’re too rich, so this sounds right up my alley! I love the wild rice and mushroom combination too. This is one healthy soup that looks like an indulgence!

You could probably leave out the cashews and sub soy milk, if you really wanted to. But I know you’re not averse to dairy so… ;)

This soup looks absolutely amazing. I Just thought i’d say you don’t need a high speed blender to make Cashew cream though. I use my stick blender all the time, just make sure the cashews are soft from soaking.

That’s true! An immersion blender does do a decent job at pureeing them. Thanks for the tip, Jo!

AH HA. cashews win again!! Creamy soups have been some of my favorites since I was a kid, and I only make them at home now because of the dairy and gluten. This vegan version looks so comforting, and I’m so thrilled at how healthful this soup is! Loving the tamari addition for some extra oomph, too! I’ll definitely have to make this all winter long :D

Ohhhh yummmmmm!!! This looks amazing!! Seriously, all of my favorites in one creamy bowl! And I have a bag of that rice in my pantry right now, so this will be happening asap!! :)

It was meant to be!! :)

Yes! A Vitamix for you, and you and YOU and…. The MOST used appliance in my kitchen (save the refrigerator). It is a workhorse and SO versatile. You know I love those creamy cashews and all these hearty ingredients, Sarah! The addition of n.Yeast is so smart and takes this soup’s flavor profile over the top! Delicious work my dear! How’s the packing going?

Thanks Traci! I haven’t even started packing yet. (insert monkey emoji covering mouth) Still trying to get caught up on blog work so that it stays up and running while I’m away from the kitchen. I’m thinking I’ll start Wednesday or Thursday maybe? ;)

I adore mushroom soup particularly ones that have been amped-up like this with thoughtful ingredients – nourishing and delish. Your pictures are so inviting and full of light – are you already thinking about your photography spot in your new home? ;-) Always takes a while to find the right light in a new space (I think I’m still trying to figure it out after 3 years, lol). A vitamix, yes, wonderful I’m sure. I just broke down and bought my first food processor not that long ago (what can say, I’m old school) and it’s especially good with things like nut butters (your delicious cashew sauce) and hummus, etc.

I have started thinking about it and I’m hoping the dining area will work. It took me so long to find the right spot in this house so I’m not really looking forward to that part!

And yay for your food processor! That and the Vitamix are my two most used appliances. They’re magical. :)

Sarah! I’m loving it! I’ve honestly never been a fan of cream-based soups because they just feel too heavy to me, so this look perfect. And I know what you mean about getting excited over awesome plant-based recipes when they turn out better than the originals :)

I am just obsessed with all your recipes. I can’t wait to try this!!!!

You’re too sweet! Thanks Nicole. <3

This is one of my favorite soups and I’ve never attempted to make it for the exact reason you mentioned in your post -heavy cream! This cashew substitute sounds pretty awesome. Think I’ll will be trying your recipe soon :)

So worth the time spent making it – a real keeper. Yum!!!

YAY! I’m so happy you like it. Thanks Jennifer! :)

I tend to make a lot of soups to pack in my lunches for the week and this has become one of my favorite go-tos! I love the creaminess and the combination of the mushrooms and wild rice. And best of all it’s relatively simple to make. Keep these fabulous recipes coming!

Rating: 5

I’m happy to hear this is a favorite of yours, Amy! Thank you so much for the feedback! :)

I made it this morning to enjoy after church. I taste tested it before leaving the house and I just want to turn around and go home and eat this! It was soooo good! I’m looking forward to stuffing my face later on and curling up in bed with movies afterwards!

This recipe looks delicious! Any substitution ideas for the carrots? (I’m allergic to them). Or should I just leave them out?

You can just leave them out! :)

This recipe was sooooo delicious. This will definitely be in rotation regularly. It was extremely easy. The prep time was long, but it was certainly worth the time and effort. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!!

I agree, it’s not the fastest of recipes but I’m happy you thought it was worth it. Thank you for the comment!

Delicious!! I made this and followed the recipe to a tee but with a couple modifications. I switched the tamari for coconut aminos, added a teaspoon of dried dill, and added the juice of half a lemon. Will be making this again soon!! :)

Rating: 4.5

This is my absolute favorite soup. I love this soup so much that I make a double batch of it, one to two times a WEEK so I always have some in my fridge. I eat it just about every day for breakfast and most times, dinner too! I don’t know what it is about the ingredients, but the soup almost has a rich buttery taste to it. I never get tired of eating it. In fact, every morning I eat it, it’s like eating it for the first time! Only thing I do different is I preboil the carrots as I like them softer and I use the 25 calorie cashew milk instead of the almond milk (never been a fan of almond milk). BEST. RECIPE. EVER!!!

Do you know if you could freeze a
Batch? I want to do some in my meal prep for our lunches this week but I read only keeps up to 3 days? Thanks :-)

I usually say 3 to 4 days just to be safe but honestly it would probably be fine for a full week. I haven’t tried freezing it so I’m not sure how the texture would be after thawing. I’ll have to try it and let you know!